Wrench



Nov. s, .1927.

L. S. WHITEHEAD WRENCH Filed May 6, 1922 i O Ir. 1 r nu u n Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES LEO S.. WI-IITEI-IEAD, OF AKRON, OHIO.

WRENCH.

Application-filed May 6, 1922. Serial No. 558,895.

My invention relates to wrenches, and particularly to the class of wrenches designed for use in conjunction with pipe or pipe Couplings. t

5 Broadly, the invention has for its principal object the provision of a practical form of wrench -which is constructed for operation to grip quickly and positively an object with a minimum amount of adjustment and mal nipulation of its elements. p

More specifically, the invention is directed toward providing a wrench which may be set to an approximate adjustment relative to an object, and which, upon a slight and l quickly effected movement of one of its component parts, will securely grip the object and effect substantially locked relation of its several parts, the construction of the parts being such that the greater the force exerted on the wrench, the more tightly'will it grip the object between its jaws. While the gripping action is strong, the wrench may be easily released from its hold on the object. t

Other objects and advantages, ksuch as simplicity of structure and ease of'operation will presently appear and the nature of the invention will be more 'fully understood when the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this'specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away and showing in section, illustrating a wrench constructed in accordance with my'invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view rillustrats ing a portion of my wrench;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, parts showing in section, illustrating the manner in which my wrench isinitially adjusted relative to an object;

Fig. l, is a view similar to Fig. 3 lillustrating further the operation of my invention; and

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevational view ofl one of the details of the invention. In the preferred practice of my invention, my improved wrench comprises a tubular handle, designated by the numeral 1, that is open at its upper end to'receive the shank 2 of a jaw 3, the shank 2 being arranged for sliding movement longitudinally of the handle, in the usual manner, and provided upon front edge with a series of teeth 4; for a i. fpuesently apparent. Upnn forward face of they handle 1, at a suitable point adjacent its open end a pair of outstanding ears 5 are provided between which a pivot pintle 6 extends. At its upper end 60 the handle is formed in the arc of a circle struck from the center of the pin 6 to provide upon each vside of the shank 2 a curvilinear surface or seat one of which is shown at 7. Pivotally mounted upon the pintle 6 65 is a T-shaped element 8 .comprising a shank 9 that in the normal position of the element parallels the shank 2, and a transversely extending head that forms a second jaw 10 for cooperation with the jaw 3. The shank of the element 8 is bifurcated at its lower end and slotted as at 11 to receive the pintle 6 whereby said element is movable transversely or oscillates ,upon the pintle for a purpose presently described. The head or jaw portion 10 of the element 8 is constructed to provide a substantially straight portion 12 having rearwardly spaced extensions one of which is shownat 13. The extensions 13 are curvedto provide cam surfaces 14 leading to the straight portion ofthe jaw and are adapted in the normal position of the element 8 to seat upon the seats 7 ofthe handle 1 at vthe sides of the shank 2. If desired, the handle 1 may be providedy at its 85 upper end vwith spaced ears 15 to receive the shank of the element 8 and prevent lateral movement of the element in its normalposition, relative to the handle.

Upon the pintle 6 and between the bifur- 90 `cations ofthe elements 8, a toothed wheel 16 is mounted to project through Va slot 17 in vthe handle 1 intoengagement with the teeth 4 of shank 2. Vheel 16 is designed to move the shank 2 relative to the handle 1 and to 95 be rotated either directly by the operator or through movement of the oscillatable element 8 as will presently be explained. InY order to effect the latter operation the element 8 is provided as at 18 with teeth forming an arc-shaped rack adapted to engage with the teeth of the wheel 16, when the element is in its normal position relative to the wheel. y A suitable form of spring 19 is coiled about the pintle Gand is arranged in position to bear against the shank 9 ofthe element 8 and the handle 1 to yieldingly retain the element in such positionthat its shank 9 parallels the shank 2 and its 10 parallels the j aw 3, l

The preferred manner of opertutirigl in- Mention as follows; The @pei-eter by virfI ine tue lof the slots yllin the shank of the element 8, may disengage the teeth 18 of said element from the teeth of the wheel 16, swing the element upon the pintleA 6 intothe position shown in Fig. 3, and adjust the shank 2 and jaw v3 relative to the jaw 10 ofthe element to position approximately the jaws relative to an object such as a pipe 20. The first part of this operation may be readily accomplished bysimply pressing the finger in an upward direction against the rear end ofthe .extensions l?) whereupon the wheel t6 being treeLto rotate, the shank 2 and jaw Bvvill gravitate normally into `coiitac/i, with the pipejor object. Element I8 is now forced ini-thedirection of the p intle to engage the `te h ,1,8 ivithgthe wheel lo as shown ini'ull ilinesin el.. `this position the exten- #sions 1 3 present their Icamsurfaces lato; the object. `,Element '8 ,is now rocked oroscillated upon tliepintle 6 toward the shank 2 into its normal posi-tion shownby the `dot- `tedl ines in Fig. e. This latter movement Y tained by the-extensions gli nearseats or` surfaces,

yfeii'ects a rotation oi the wheel 16 in a directiento inovegtlie shank 2 inwardly of the handle 1, whereupon thel jaw` lis drawn toiviardthe -jawdOv at the sanie time that a cam -jfengagement yofthe jaw 10 is bcingfeiected withj'the objeCtQO. Itivill be noted that in this latter` movement of the jaw 10, it -is sus- 13 upon the `curviL 7 ojf the handley l, and thatas the shan-lett of said-element reaches ar deadcenter position relative to the pintle 56;andthe center, ofthe object, the element is virtually locked in rposition Y,against vdisplacement `Vhen-the wrench is; not in use the element .8 is-obviously retained in this latter position by virtueot the action of the spring; 19. At whatever `point theitwojaws clamp the object, a rotation oi'the handle zot thef'wrench in openation'wi-ll tendito imoVe ,the swinging jaw lO-toward the; handle, `and f as the teeth iS-fare i normally in; engagement vwithwtlie wheel 1,6,Ythe upper jaw `3 Awillbe l caused to travel towardy thelower. jaw. `The @object is thereby seciirely clamped-in posi- ,tion between the `two jaws yof the wrench mand-fthe operation of the wrench will securelygripl the` object. lVlien it is desired to release the object, a pressurerk on the ,exe

tensionsl 13 willmove the lower jaw outmiardlyi,and-raisethe upperjaw. l

Although a preferred einb diment of my inventionhas been described in detail and `certain Arestrictive terms ,and language emf i fployedihereiin itis to be understood 'that 4the present-disclosurelis illustrative in na-i4 tureand 'is not to be construedas limiting thescopeor spirit` of my invention unless :such limitations ,are specifically,expressed in the claims appended hereto.V

` What 'I claimv is:

l. A vwrench comprising,` aghandlea jaw member movable longitudinally of the handie, `a second jawmember movable laterally of the first member into gripping position with respect thereto, and means for mov ing @the *first member toward the second member upon movement of the latter into gripping position relative to the toi-mer, said means comprising a rack upon the first named jaw, a pinion rotatably mounted on the handle and Vmeshing with the raclrand afiacl; op the second Ajaw movable into and out` of eng-agement with the pinion,

2. A wrench comprising, a handle, a loiigi- Jtlittlnally movable jaw member, a second osciliatable aw member pivoted onthe handle and moi/'able laterally of the first member ,ilitO and out of Agripping' position with respect thereto.V andmeans for moving the -irst member toward-said second member operatedby finovement of said second member toward gripping position.

,3. A wrench comprising, `1 member `movable Vlongitudinally* of the' handle, a second jaw member adapted for oscillating movement laterally of the iirst mein -ber and; having a cam gripping surfaceand means for `moving theiirst member toward thesecond member upon movement of the 4second member inone direction, `said means .4.,A wrench comprising, a handle, a jaw member .inovable-` longitudinally of the hangdle,a 'secondjaw member `yieldingly held in Y gripping position withTrQSpeCt to the irst member and, adapted for oscillating movement kinto ,andout of such grippingdoosition,

means for moving thelfirst member toward `the second upon, `movement .of theA latter into gripping position, ianld means for rendering ,i said latter Imeans inoperative.

5. A wrench com1'3risng,a handle, ajljaw `member freely Vmovable longitudinal-ly of the handle, a secondj aw vmemberlyielclingly held `iii gripping vposition with respeet to the ,iirstf member said. second member', being j adaptedgfoinioveinent laterally of the iiijst member to adj-ustlit into and: ont of grip-V a handle, a jaw ico ping relation `with respect thereto, and a l 1pinion carried by the liandleiand adapted -to be connected with both of said jaw inem-l bers for lmoving theV ist lmember toward the second` duringitlie entire,nioveinent ol the `latter 1linto .gripping position.

iAwvrench comprising, two jaw inein-V Y bers movable toward `and awayxfrom one another, a rack on one ,of said jaw inembers. a pinion engaging said rack, and a second vrack on the'` other jaw meniheig thelast .named jaw member having` a'ceiiter of os cillation coinciding with the center vof the pinion` and being movable to engage ordisengage its racks from the. pinion.

7. A Wrench comprising, two jaw members, one ol said members being pivotally mounted, a straight rack on one of said jaw members, a curved rack on the other jaw member, and a pinion adapted to be engaged by one or both of said racks.

8. A Wrench comprising, a reetilinearly moving aw member and an oscillatory jaw member, a straight rack on the irst jaw member and a curved rack on the second jaw member, and a pinion adapted to be engaged by one or both of said racks.

9. A Wrench comprising, a tubular handle having a curvilinear' seat at one end thereof, a jaw member having a toothed shank slidably mounted in the handle, a rotary Wheel upon the handle having teeth thereon engaging the teeth of said shank, a second jaw member comprising a curvilinear head portion adapted to normally engage the seat ot' said handle and a shank portion mounted for swinging movement about the axis of the Wheel said last shank being constructed to engage or release the Wheel, and lugs upon the handle adapted to prevent lateral movement of the second jaw.

10. A wrench comprising, a handle, a jaw member movable longitudinally thereof, a

rotary member for moving the jaw, means for actuating the rotary member, and a second jaw member adapted for oscillation about the axis of the rotary member and for adjustment to engage and release said rotary member.

11. A Wrench comprising, a handle,a jaw member movable longitudinally thereof, a rotary member -for moving the jaw, and a second jaw member adapted for oscillationV about the axis of the rotary member, said second jaw being adapted normally torengage the rotary member, for rotary movement therewith in all of its positions of longitudinal movement.l

l2. A Wrench comprising, a handle, a jaw member movable longitudinally thereof, a rotary member for moving the javv, and a second jaw member adapted for oscillation about the axis of the rotary member for movement into and out of a dead center position relative to said axis and the rst jaw said second jaw being adapted to engage the rotary member throughout its entire oscillatory movement, and means for yieldingly retaining the second jaw in a dead center position.

LEO S. VHITEHEAD. 

